


Sudden

by Anonymous6285



Category: The Beatles (Band)
Genre: Angst, Car Accidents, Crying, Grief/Mourning, Past Character Death, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:28:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29796054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anonymous6285/pseuds/Anonymous6285
Summary: Ringo is having a rough time accepting what’s happened. Paul helps just a little.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 11





	Sudden

**Author's Note:**

> I found this in my notes this morning and didn’t remembering writing it last night, but I may or may not have cried reading back over it 
> 
> CW: character death and grief

Ringo sat outside the courtroom for what felt like years, too unstable to allow himself in. He knew that he couldn’t show any emotion, and he wasn’t sure how exactly he was supposed to achieve that when the person he loved the most dearly in the world had been taken from him. So instead, the marble floors beneath the stiff wooden bench he was sitting on became the most interesting thing for his mind to focus on. 

It had been a month, and it was already clear to John and Paul that he was going downhill fast. His weight grew smaller and smaller as his priorities shifted from eating and sleeping to doing everything in his power to make anything feel familiar. The flat they used to share was quickly overtaken by sorrow, leaving Paul and Jane to create a welcoming place for him to stay. 

He was with Paul everywhere he went, because his friend knew better than to leave him alone through any of this. Wherever it was, Ringo was there, too. The dentist, the post office, even out to the car and back if Paul had forgotten his wallet.

“Would you like to bake some cookies?” Paul asked him, handing him a pack of cookie dough when they were at the store. He and Jane watched in trepidation as Ringo studied the cookie dough in his hands until he frowned and shook his head. “Alright. We can find something else, I suppose.”

“No, I’d love to make cookies. It’s just, George doesn’t really like the oatmeal ones. Do they have any regular chocolate chip?” Handing it back to Paul, he started to search the shelf. He stopped a second later and broke down in tears, Paul putting an arm around him and helping him out of the store.

Tossing his wallet to his girlfriend, he muttered, “Jane, could you just pay for what’s already in there? I’m going to take him to the car, yeah?”

Ringo felt bad about all of it. He had completely forced himself in between their relationship, and he could see them start to drift. It was all his fault. 

“I’m so sorry,” he had admitted to Paul one day, explaining how he would leave as soon as he could and let them get back to normal. Paul had to take it upon himself to carefully explain that the situation wasn’t Ringo’s fault at all. And that there wasn’t a normal to return to.

Not without George.

The first night after it happened, he took Ringo home only to see him standing outside his opened front door, not moving at all. “You okay, Richie?” It was a stupid question, because of course he wasn’t.

“What do I do now?” The emptiness of the question sent Paul’s mind to all of the questions he’d been trying to avoid for the last twelve hours. It still didn’t feel real, like George was going to show up to the flat with his big, toothy smile, ready to play monopoly for game night. It still didn’t feel real that he wasn’t coming home. He never would ever again.

“I’ll take you home with me,” Paul whispered, afraid if he made his voice too loud, it would crack. Ringo was obviously in a very bad place right now, and he had to be strong for him. “Come on, love.” 

That night was the worst. Ringo had been put into their guest room, but the screaming and crying from waking up alone was enough for Paul to start sharing with him, instead. It was harder that way for him. Having to fall asleep to Ringo crying, saying things like, “I wish I could hug him and tell him everything’s going to be okay,” it only sped up the initial shock.

Jane curled up with him on the couch when Ringo was in the shower, the only alone time they ever got, but the lump in his throat was too big to swallow away and have a nice conversation with her. So he huffed and turned the other way.

Ringo wasn’t stupid. He knew it would be better for them if he could leave, but he was hardly taking care of himself under Paul’s care, and he couldn’t go back to their flat. His flat.

-

As he sat in the big, empty hallway, running the tips of his shoes along the lines and cracks in the marble floor, he heard a door being opened and when he looked up, Paul was staring right at him, eyes soft. Of course, the younger man was going to take the next opportunity he could to follow him out.

But he didn’t want to be found right now. He wanted to be left alone. To think. So he got up, lowered his head, careful not to catch Paul’s eyes, and started to speed walk the other way, almost immediately running into someone and stumbling backwards.

A quick glance up revealed the worried face of a young boy, face ghostly white as he searched Ringo’s for a sign of anything. Ringo knew who this was. This was the boy that stole George away from him. This was the young student driver only trying to learn the same way as all of his peers.

“S-sorry, sir. I wasn’t looking where I was going. I didn’t mean to.” And Ringo knew very well that he was talking about bumping into him mere seconds ago, but he couldn’t stop himself from pulling the boy of about equal height into a hug, much to his surprise.

“It’s okay,” he promised, despite having just lost his entire world. “It’s okay, I forgive you!” 

“Rich? What are you doing? Hey, let’s leave him alone.” Paul had to practically pull him off of the boy and walk with him back down the hall. “It’s alright, love. Want to go find somewhere private?”

Ringo muttered, “No,” before burying his face in Paul’s shoulder and sobbing loudly. Paul’s hand found its way to the small of his back, and he let the man cry into his shirt.

“Okay. Whatever you need, love.”


End file.
